The Begining in the End
by Maevis Pas
Summary: Harry was forced to watch his wife and son die in a horrible fire. After bringing the culprit to justice, Harry works on a way to travel back and change how history has presented itself...starting with Sirus. Rated T for now, M later. H/G HR/R S/OC L/T
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter's universe. If I did, I wouldn't need to write fan fiction for it.**

**The Beginning in the End**

**Prologue**

Seven years had passed since the end of the Second Wizarding War and the number one hero found himself hiding in a tree. True, Harry Potter would rather be home with his wife and new born son but he instead he was here on this important date. Not because it was seven years ago today that he defeated Voldemort. Not, today was important because, today, they were finally going to catch the last member of Voldemort's inner circle, and it was personal.

Eight years ago, he attacked Hogwarts and was involved in the death of Harry's mentor, Albus Dumbledore. During that time, he seriously injured his soon to be brother-in-law and left him with scars that would never heal. Years before that, he attacked and infected a young Remus Lupin with lycanthropy. Harry grinned from his spot in the trees as he thought how good it would feel to finally take down Fenrir Greyback.

Harry never saw the shadow at the base of the tree, or hear the stunning spell that hit him. He was knocked out by the time he landed in a heap at the base of the tree.

* * *

Harry awoke face down in the grass and the mud, facing a house in the darkness. Harry tried to remember where he was as he tried to sit up, only to find himself bound head to toe. He looked at the house as realization dawned on him. He was staring at his own house. "Whazgoingon?" Harry mumbled as he tired to look around.

"Ah, Potter," a voice said and Harry froze in fear. It was one of the last voices he ever wanted to hear again. "Good of you to join us."

Harry glared at Greyback as he walked around Harry so he can see him. "What do you want, Greyback? What are you planning?"

Greyback grinned an evil smile. "This." He raised his wand and pointed it at Harry and Ginny's house. "Incendio Maxima!" He snarled as white hot fire leapt from his wand and, in seconds, engulfed the house from roof to ground in fire.

"GINNY! JAMIE!" Harry cried as he struggled to get free. Greyback smiled at him as he watched Harry struggle to get free before apparating away as reinforcements arrived. However, it was too late as Harry watched his family and his home burn in overwhelming sadness.

* * *

_One Year Later_

Harry stood in McGonagall's office. He was dressed in pitch black that rivaled the dark circles under his eyes. He hadn't slept in weeks. Not since he had dismembered Greyback in front of the entire Wizengamot, a move that revoked his Auror status and made him the number one criminal in the entire wizarding world. Even his status as Slayer of Voldemort couldn't save him. Kingsley had, at least, warned him ahead of time, like a good friend, so Harry could run. Harry didn't have anywhere else to run to except one. The Room of Requirement at Hogwarts.

He spent the days inside, going over books that he had taken from his office and several from the private teacher's library that both Minerva and Neville had provided him. Winky was tasked with bringing him food during the day and, at night, Harry spent the time talking with Albus and Phineas Nigellus Black's portraits about an artifact he had found in the back of the Chamber of Secrets.

Tonight, all those weeks of study and preparation were going to pay off. He looked at the gold medallion on Minerva's desk. "Albus, is this going to work? I don't want to end up a pile of ash."

Albus' portrait let out a chuckle. "Harry, my boy, I have absolutely no idea. What you are attempting to do, I only know of one wizard who even attempted it, never mind succeeded."

Harry nodded as he remembered the conversation they had. "Phineas? Your positive that this is actually going to change things, right? Not end up keeping everything that happens the same?"

Phineas' portrait nodded to him. "By just going back and changing one conversation, one action, you can change the future. Some things will stay the same. The father out you are from the events, the less they change. Political events in the muggle world, for example, will remain but actions during the war can change entirely."

"Will I be able to remember everything that happened or my Auror training? I'm not looking forward to the shared visions from Voldemort." Harry replied to chuckles from the two headmasters.

"You will not remember everything like you do now, for example. Rather, it will more likely come to you in dreams about the future like if you were to view them from a pensive. Your training, however, will stay. So, I think your Occulmacy will remain so you can refrain from falling into the same trap that lead to the fall of the House of Black." Phineas replied as he looked at Harry. "Remember, you must only think of that single day that you want to return to. If that day is yesterday, a year, up to ten years ago. I think that is the edge of the magic in the artifact."

Harry nodded one last time before looking back at Dumbledore. "_Time is a flowing river, with a pebble able to alter the flow_." Harry said to his mentor.

"Correct, Harry. Whenever you can remember that, say it to me and I will know how to access the message you placed in your mind. It will require me to dive in…"

Harry waved off the conversation. "As long as I can go back and save Sirus, Fred, Remus, Tonks, Colin, everyone who died in the final battle and, most of all, Ginny and Jamie then anything that happens to me is just collateral damage." Harry gave a weak smile as he started to remember that day he wished to return to. _June 10th__, 1995_. With a swift motion, Harry ran his wand over his hand and opened a slice in his palm. Then, with a flash, he pressed the bloody hand to the gold medallion and vanished in a flash of light.

"Goodbye, Harry Potter. This future will miss you." Albus Dumbledore's painting said as all the Heads wished the young man well on his journey into the past.

* * *

**Chapter 1**

Harry awoke with a start as he sat upright in his bed. He had just had the weirdest dream he had ever remembered having. He saw Sirus fall through a strange curtain, Dumbledore falling off the Astronomy tower, a locket, cup and tiara, Ginny… "Harry, mate?" Ron's voice called out as the curtains were opened and he saw his best mate staring down at him. "Don't do that, scared me half to death."

Harry gave a sheepish grin. "Sorry, Ron. Just had the strangest dream."

"Dream or…him?" Ron asked as he went white in the face.

Harry shook his head. "I think it was a dream. I saw things, like I was there. But it wasn't like when I see through Voldemort." Ron shivered at the name. "It was like I was me but these things can't have taken place…I don't think." He stayed quiet for a bit before motioning to the door and he and Ron went to the common room. Once downstairs Harry looked at Ron seriously. "You ever have a dream that feels so like real life?"

Ron gave a soft smile. "Yeah, once. I woke up and seriously felt like I was still in the dream for the rest of the day. What was the dream, if you don't mind me asking?"

Harry shook his head. "I don't remember. It feels like I watched my future only to wake up and see that nothing has changed yet." Harry ran a hand through his hair before looking around the common room. He wasn't surprised to find that they were not alone after all. A mound of bushy brown hair lay on one of the tables and Harry let out a soft smile. "We should wake her up. O.W.L. exams start today."

Ron looked at Hermione and a smile graced his face. "Yeah, and she might know what your dream means too."

Harry laughed as they walked over to Hermione. "Please, we both know that divination is a joke and Hermione walked out of the class in third year."

Ron shrugged. "I know, but I like to think she is smarter then she is sometimes." He leaned over and shook her shoulder gently. "Hermione?"

Hermione bolted straight up and looked around the room. "Am I late? Did the exams start already? I slept through them didn't I?"

Harry and Ron both laughed and calmed Hermione down enough that Harry was able to tell her about the dream as much as he could. "You should talk to Dumbledore." Hermione told him when he was finished explaining as much as he could.

Harry shook his head. "Even if I knew where he was, could get away from Toadface, and get to him, he won't even look at me. I wish I could talk to Sirus about it."

Hermione grinned. "Well, write him a letter."

Harry shook his head. "It will get intercepted."

Hermione shook her head at him and grinned. "Not anymore. Since the interview in the Quibbler, they stopped checking the mail. I still wouldn't use Hedwig, but Pig would work fine."

Ron nodded. "You need to hurry, though. I think Ginny might have been sending a letter off to Fred and George about getting some 'supplies.'" The three friends shared a laugh before Harry fled upstairs to his room, quickly changed into his school robes and returned downstairs. Ron and Hermione were still there, waiting for him.

Harry borrowed a quill and parchment from Hermione before writing away to his godfather.

_Snuffles,_

_Hope you are well. It has been forever since we last spoke. I had something weird happen last night. A dream, an actual dream and not that thing, in which I think I saw something that I don't know what it could be. I was wondering if you or Moony had ever heard of someone ever seeing into the future like that._

_Also, if you can get in touch with the old man and let him know about this and my Occulamcy lessons have, I think, paid off since I haven't gotten anymore things yet, I would appreciate it._

_I miss you and can't wait for this dreadful year to be over._

Harry signed it with a quick lighting bolt before thanking Hermione and Ron and telling them he would see them at the Great Hall for breakfast before flying out the portrait hole.

As he walked the hall, his thoughts drifted to his dream. "I don't understand it." He muttered to himself as he made it to the owlery stairs. "I swear I saw them both die. I swear I saw it. Maybe I am going crazy. And what was that at the end? I don't remember ever dreaming about her before…" He finished as he reached the top of the stairs.

"Oh? Harry Potter has a crush? On a girl?" A sweet voice said as he looked up. A beautiful redheaded young lady stood in front of him. "Harry, you have to share it with…" She was cut off as Harry engulfed her in a large, deep, Molly Weasley hug before either of them knew what he was doing. Ginny blushed her Weasley red as Harry refused to let go of her. "Um…Harry? Is everything okay?"

Harry let go of her and looked at Ginny with small tears in his eyes. "Why does it feel like I saw you die?" Harry asked her.

Ginny let out a giggle. "Maybe because you did? Remember, three years ago?" Both her and Harry shared a laugh. It was good that they could share a joke like that. "I was sending a letter off to the twins about getting some more of their supplies. What are you doing here?"

Harry held up his letter. "I'm sending Snuffles a quick letter and Ron said I could use Pig to send it out."

Ginny grinned at him and called down Pig from his spot. Together, the two of them were able to calm him down enough to give him the letter and send him off to Sirus' place. Ginny gave her own letter to one of the school's owls and sent it off to her brothers. "So," Ginny started talking to him as they watched the two owls fly off, "you want to tell me about this girl?"

Harry grinned as he and Ginny started on their way to breakfast. "No, not really. I had a dream. It's nothing."

Ginny just nodded and giggled at him. "You know, Harry, if you had a dream with Cho in it, it's not unheard of for someone to have one of someone that they are dating."

Harry dropped his head to the floor. "We aren't dating anymore."

Ginny raised a hand to her mouth. "Oh, Harry. I'm sorry. I didn't know."

He just shrugged at her. "It's okay. We never actually broke up but it doesn't matter. She was not that much fun to be around. She would cry every time I was around her." Harry smiled at her as they walked past a group of first years. "How are things with you and Michael?" Harry asked innocently as something inside of him roared with displeasure. Harry was confused. He thought of Ginny as a friend and like a little sister...didn't he?

Ginny just shrugged. "We ended it." She sighed. "He didn't really like the fact that I caught the snitch against Ravenclaw and we had been doing poor before that. After the match, he decided to keep Cho company more then me."

Harry couldn't help but laugh at that. "Wait, so your ex is now dating my...whatever Cho was. I guess we never actually dated. What are you going to do now?"

Ginny gave him a large smile as they came to the top of the staircase right outside the Great Hall. "I've got my eye on this fifth year. Very cute, smart, kind and an overall great guy."

Harry nodded. "Do I know this one?" He asked with butterflies in his stomach. Maybe the reason he had been dreaming about Ginny was that he was actually attracted to her.

"Oh, I hope you know him." Ginny said as she looked around the entrance area before pulling Harry into a broom closet. "Look, Harry. Don't say anything. Let me get this out there." Harry just nodded as she took a deep breath. "The reason I decided to date Michael was because...I like you Harry. Really like you. I dated Michael because I was praying that you might get away from seeing me as Ron's little sister if I could, you know, act like a human being around you."

"Before, I would get so nervous being around you that I would do stupid things..." Ginny started.

Harry couldn't help but grin. "Like put your elbow in the butter dish?" He interrupted.

"Hush you." Ginny said but with a smile. "But I hoped that maybe, I would act normal and that you would be able to see me in a different light then that as Ron's younger sister. I dated Michael but I never really gave up on you. So...I guess what I am saying is that I was wondering what you thought about me..."

Harry didn't know what made him do it but he took that as a sign and pulled her into his arms as he kissed her lightly. Ginny's eyes went wide as she was caught off guard before she realized that she should return the kiss. They stayed that way for only a few minutes before breaking the kiss and Harry rested his forehead against her own. "Ginny, I like you. I don't know how much but I am willing to find out with you."

Ginny nodded as she smiled at him. "I would like that, Harry. I know you are going to be busy these next few weeks with O.W.L.s but I want to help with what I can."

Harry smiled at her. "I just thought of something...when are we going to tell Hermione and Ron?" Realization dawned on him as he looked into her eyes with his own. "Oh, Merlin, your brother is going to kill me."

Ginny giggled. "We'll get to that in a little while. Right now, I want you all to myself." She told him as they left the broom cupboard. "Harry, can you tell me something first, though." Harry nodded as they walked up the aisle between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor tables. "Why didn't that feel like a first kiss?" Harry had no answer as he thought about that dream once again.

**A/N: Ah, my second story. Be nice, please, because this is entire AU. I am going to change...well, just about everything from the seventh book, except for the horcruxs and see what happens with the Department of Mysteries since I am going to entirely ignore that battle and, instead, create my own.**

**Okay, running poll for now. Someone, not anyone from the main cast, is going to be attacked by Greyback at some point. I would like to know what you all think. Lavender, Bill, Fleur or someone else. I will allow you guys to cast your votes.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter's universe. If I did, I wouldn't need to write fan fiction for it.**

**The Beginning in the End**

**Chapter 2**

Harry was sitting at their usual table after a very exhausting day doing their OWL exams. True, today was the Defense exam and Harry was almost positive that he got an 'O' but he refused to admit it to anyone, most of all Ron and Hermione. Hermione had spent the first two hours poring over the pair as she tried to figure out what they had done wrong during the exam and, it was only by the saving grace of luck, that Harry was able to avoid hearing more because the pair had their turn to patrol the halls today. He was supposed to be going over notes for his exam on Monday, but he just couldn't get the sight and smells from earlier this morning out of his head.

To say he was completely off guard would have been an understatement and was thus very surprised when Ginny fell into his lap. "Hi!" She said cheerfully.

Harry laughed as he looked around the common room to find it completely deserted. "Well, hi to you too." He said as he leaned in and kissed her lightly on the lips. "How was your day?"

"Dreadful, I had Umbitch today and she spent the whole lesson glaring right at me since I was there. I have to write an essay for Snape for Monday as well and can't find my potions book at the moment. Can I borrow yours?" She asked him with the largest brown eyes he had ever seen.

Harry couldn't help but laugh as he lifted her off his lap. "Sure thing, let's go grab it from my trunk and I can help you with it." The pair quickly made their way up to Harry's dorm and noticed that it was completely deserted.

Ginny, seeing a perfect moment and not wanting it to go to waste, closed the door and waved her wand to charm the door to make it unable to be opened by anyone by her. She then silently snuck up behind Harry and threw him on to the bed before falling on top of him herself. "Don't think you can get this all the time, I just haven't been able to get you out of my head all day."

"That makes two of us." Harry grinned before their lips met in a heated kiss.

Harry lost himself in the kiss and was thus caught off guard by the sound of a man's voice calling out. "Harry? If that is you, get out your Christmas present."

Harry realized who it was and dashed over to his trunk and swung it open to find his present from Sirus quickly. "Sirus? What are you doing? You could get caught."

Sirus' face just grinned at him. "I should ask you why you and Ginny are alone…and in your room…on your bed." He said with a large grin.

"Sirus, I haven't had a chance to even come to terms with it myself. If you tell anyone, I will tell everyone about her." Harry told him with a grin that rivaled his godfathers.

Ginny gave a giggle as Harry took a seat on the bed so she could see and talk as well. "Oh, Sirus is seeing someone?"

Sirus just grinned at her. "Not at the moment. Just forget it. I need you to do something, Harry." Sirus cleared his throat. "Get your cloak and the map and head for where we first met face to face. I can't tell you anything about what is going on but I promise you that it will all make sense when you get there."

Harry nodded as Sirus image faded away to show nothing but a mirror. He and Ginny looked at each other before she gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek. "I'll be waiting for you and I'll tell Ron and Hermione where you are." She said with a smile as she left the room.

Harry sat there for a short amount of time as he thought about all the things that had transpired today. As he thought, he gathered his invisibility cloak and the Marauders Map. He quickly activated the map and found Umbridge in her office, Filch up on the seventh floor and Snape in his class room with Dean and Seamus. He smiled at his luck as he threw the cloak over his shoulders and left.

The journey from the common room to the Whomping Willow went so smoothly that he wondered if something would go wrong. However, he didn't see another soul until he reached the willow and hit the secret knot with a stick and snuck his way into the secret passageway.

Harry just made his way silently until he came at the end of the passage and into the Shrieking Shack. He didn't expect their to be a pair of people waiting for him. "Sirus! Remus! What are you two doing here?" He said with a hand on his wand.

Sirus and Remus both raised their wands to him. "The name your father used around friends?"

Harry smiled as he raised his wand. "Prongs." He looked directly at Sirus. "Who was with me when you called?"

Sirus grinned at him as he lowered his wand. "Ginny. And on your bed none the less." He said with a chuckle. Harry smiled as he ran over and embraced his godfather. "Missed you too, Harry."

Harry then gave Remus a hug before backing away from them. "What are you doing? Umbridge is hunting you like crazy. And Remus, she hates werewolves more then she hates half-breeds. You both shouldn't be here."

Remus smiled as he handed Harry an old shoe. "We will be fine. Just take this." He said as Sirus reached out a hand and the three were whisked away by portkey.

When they stopped, Harry looked around the single room they were in and Harry grinned. The last time he was in here, they were caught during Dumbledore's Army. They were dragged up here so Fudge could throw him out of school and Dumbledore covered for them and then left. Since then, no one had been able to get back in to the room. Harry smiled as he looked around.

Remus took a seat in the corner while Sirus took one in front of the desk. The portraits were all sleeping and the silver instruments were working like they always had. Standing behind the desk, with his back facing the room, was the last person Harry expected to be here.

His silver hair hung long. As he turned and faced the three standing in the room, Harry could see the silver twinkle behind half moon glasses. "Harry, my boy." He said as a matter of fact.

"Professor! You are here! This whole time that Umbridge has been trying to get into the office and you were here the whole time?" Harry asked astonished.

Dumbledore just grinned. "You didn't think I would leave this school with her in charge, did you? Now, Sirus showed me that letter of yours. I would like to know how you accomplished your Occlumency without Professor Snape's help because he told me that you have been failing outright."

Harry shook his head. "I don't know, sir. I just feel like I can."

Dumbledore nodded as he removed his wand from his robes. "Only one way to tell, Harry." He said as he turned the wand on Harry. He just took the seat next to Sirus as Dumbledore then cast the Legilimency spell. What caught everyone off guard was the fact that there was a spark in the air between the wand and Harry's head. "Impressive, Harry."

Harry's eyes had rolled into the back of his head as he spoke. "_Time is a flowing river, with a pebble able to alter the flow._" He said in his own voice before his eyes returned back to normal. "Wait, where did that come from?"

Sirus and Remus exchanged looks as Dumbledore walked around his desk. "Harry, do you know where you learned that?" He asked him.

Harry shook his head. "I don't remember ever learning that. Why? Does it mean something?"

Dumbledore pursed his lips as he looked at his wand. "Harry, do me a favor and do the exact opposite of Occlumency. Clear your mind. I am going to see something." Harry did as he was told and felt a tug as Dumbledore raised his wand to his temple and pulled away. A golden strand came with it, the exact opposite of when Dumbledore pulled out his own memories for the Pensieve. "Interesting. Harry, I think I might have an explanation. However, to make sure, I would like you to view this with me." He told him as he dropped it into the Pensieve.

Harry nodded as he looked at Sirus and Remus before joining Dumbledore. "What is it, professor?"

Dumbledore remained silent as the pair fell into the memory.

* * *

Harry was surprised to find himself in a misty area, with Dumbledore standing next to him. "Where are we?" He asked the Headmaster.

Dumbledore opened his mouth to speak but another voice answered him. "Your in your own head, Harry." A deep but familiar voice called out to him through the mist. Dumbledore focused himself on where he thought he head the voice from and Harry did the same.

The mist began to clear some as he focused and Harry was surprised to find someone sitting in a plush armchair with two more facing him. The man was older then Harry but quite a bit younger then Sirus and Remus. In fact…if Harry didn't know better he would have thought that he knew this person. He was dressed in all black but Harry couldn't make out any features until he and Professor Dumbledore started walking towards him.

"Ah, I knew it. The second I heard what you said I had thought that this might be the case." Dumbledore said as he marched in front of Harry and took a seat in front of the man. It was then that Harry made out a mess of long unruly black hair and emerald green eyes. "Harry Potter, meet yourself."

The older Harry smiled and tipped his hand as a sign of greeting to them. "Albus, it's really good to see you again. I haven't had a face to face conversation with you for almost ten years now." He shook his head. "Well, I talk to your portrait a lot, but it is missing something."

Harry was shocked as he took the seat next to Dumbledore. "But…I'm me so you can't possibly be me. It doesn't make any sense." He said in awe and wonder.

The older Harry gave a smile to him. "Yes, Harry, you are you. However, I had to change some things so I came back in time to help out as much as possible."

Dumbledore smiled at him. "You know, you and Merlin are the only two wizards who have ever attempted to do something like this."

Older Harry nodded. "As much as I am sure it would please you to continue with history for young Harry here, I know all about it. You told me…well, your portrait did anyway." He cleared his throat. "Anyways, before we get too far off subject, I should tell you why I did what I did and some things that might help."

Albus nodded his head and Harry just looked at the older version of himself in awe. "Okay, I had to come back because of things that have happened. Albus, yourself, Sirus, Remus, Mad-Eye, Snape and Fred Weasley all died during the war. Sirus was the first to die because I was tricked by Tom Riddle into believing that he had captured Sirus and taken him to the Department of Mysteries. He wanted the prophecy."

Albus nodded his head. "Yes, we are aware of that. However, your younger self seems to have mastered the art."

Harry blushed as older Harry laughed. "That was me. I created permanent mental charms to protect his mind from finding out about me or for that evil snake to plant that false image into it. The upside is that it works just like Occlumency. However, I am afraid part of myself leaked through early this morning."

He turned his attention to his younger self. "I'm afraid, Harry, that I was the reason you charged at Ginny like you did." He laughed. "She is such a great woman and I'm sorry for speeding up what would have happened anyways but only by another year." He winked at him as Harry blushed.

Albus smiled down at him. "I knew that they would get together at some point. I knew from the moment that you went into the Chamber of Secrets."

Older Harry nodded. "That is the one reason I came back. Ginny died, horribly, five years after the end of the war. I wanted to change what happened, to save her and myself. The only way I could do that was to change what happened during the war." He returned to looking at Dumbledore. "Albus, the diary, it's a horcrux."

Dumbledore sat upright. "I knew it, so all we have to do is destroy him and he will be gone forever."

Older Harry shook his head. "There are six more." Dumbledore looked shocked. "It's the reason he looks so…inhuman now. Hufflepuff's Cup, Slytheirn's Locket, Ravenclaw's Diadem, a ring at his grandfather's cottage, his pet snake and, unfortunately, young Harry here."

"Wait, I'm a what?" Harry asked his older self.

"A Horcrux." Dumbledore told him. "It's a very dark and nasty piece of magic. What it does is that it separates the casters soul into multiple pieces. How did you come by this knowledge?"

The older Harry smiled. "From you, sir. We worked out the cup and snake, you found the ring during this coming summer, and whatever you do, DO NOT, put it on. Better yet, don't even go looking for it. Send one of the order members. You see, the ring is not just a ring. It's one of the Hallows."

This caught Dubledore's attention. "The Resurrection Stone?" He asked the older Harry.

He just nodded and turned to his younger self. "The Deathly Hallows is an old wizarding tale like Cinderella or The Frog Prince. It tells of three brothers who meet death and, because they outsmart him, are given three treasures. The Resurrection Stone, The Elder Wand and Death's Invisibility Cloak. These things, together, are known as The Deathly Hallows. The problem we have is that someone," He glared at Dumbledore at this, "has been in utter fascination with them since he was a young man."

Dumbledore just blushed. "I admit, I have been rather foolish about them in the past. It's one of the reasons that I had your father's invisibility cloak on the night he and Lilly died."

Harry looked confused between his elder mentor and his older self. He knew he had nothing for respect for the old man, but his older self talked to him like there was unfinished business between them. "You said you knew where all these horcrux were?"

Older Harry smiled at him. "Yes, I do. The hardest one to get to will be Hufflepuff's Cup as it is in the Lestrange Vault in Gringotts. I'll let you figure out how to get to it since Ron, Hermione and I had a blast trying. Still the only break in at Gringotts, thank you. The others will be much easier besides Nagini, which is at his side most of the time. The ring is located at the Gaunt Cottage. The diary, of course, has been destroyed and Slytherin's Locket was in Grimmauld Place. If you can't find it there, Mundagus Fletcher has it."

"Wait, what?" Harry asked his older self.

"Do you remember that golden locket that no one could open when you were cleaning this past summer?" Harry nodded. "It's a horcrux. That's why no one can get it to open but you can."

Harry thought about it for a moment before getting what his older self was telling him. "Parselmouth." He said as the older version smiled at himself.

"Exactly, now the Lost Diadem is actually located at Hogwarts. It's in the Room of Requirement in the form of the room students use when they need to hide something. Look for a chipped bust of an old warlock. It has it on his head. However, all these are simple compared to what Harry must do."

Dumbledore looked sadly at him before looking back at Older Harry. "I understand. I will tell him later. Right now, however, Sirus and Remus are waiting for an explanation and I wouldn't like to keep them waiting. I understand that, should I need you, you will be here?"

Older Harry nodded. "For a short amount of time. I wasn't sure on how to make the spell work so I would remain forever. It's really difficult to place part of your conscience away in someone else, even if that someone is a younger version of myself."

With that the room filled with white mist again and Harry felt himself returning.

* * *

"To say that was quite interesting would be an understatement." Dumbledore told the other two men when they returned to his study. "Harry performed a remarkable feat of magic."

Harry felt his face glow red in embarrassment. "I don't think I actually did anything. It was someone who I will never become now."

Sirus looked confused at both of them. "When did Harry start talking in riddles like Albus?" He asked Remus loudly.

Luppin just shrugged. "Beats me. Albus? Care to explain?"

He nodded. "In due time, gentlemen, however I think we should return Harry to the Gryffindor Common Room and then call a emergency meeting of the Order. Harry, practice everything you know as much as you can. Be ready for anything since I'm not sure what is going to happen now. Tell only who you think you must and even then only what you can. Don't let Miss Granger get to involved in trying to solve the mystery that you know could change everything."

Harry nodded as he looked around the room. "How am I going to get back?"

All three grinned as Fawkes landed on his shoulder. "If you need me, call me on the mirror." Sirus told him before clapping him on the shoulder. Remus smiled at him.

Dumbledore nodded his head. "When you need me, I will be there." was all that he said before Harry felt a rush of heat and closed his eyes.

**A/N: So, what do you think? I know I am working with a new area that I don't think has ever been done before so I would love to hear what everyone thought.**

**I always thought that this was a great idea and I don't think I have ever seen it done before. To answer the question I know is coming, Harry still has an imprint of his elder self in his head. It's like an interactive memory more then anything else.**

**Golden Quartet chapter is next and I might get to the beginning of the action in the story. I haven't yet decided beyond that.**

**Sorry that this took so long to get out. Thank you for remaining loyal and relaxed as I got over my massive case of writer's block and distraction in the shape of Halo: Reach. I promise I will have the next chapter up in a timely manner, I'm just not sure when that will be.**

**Until then, read, love and review.**

**Oh, old poll closed. New poll. Sirus' crush. Muggle or Muggleborn? You decide.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter's universe. If I did, I wouldn't need to write fan fiction for it.**

**The Beginning in the End**

**Chapter 3**

Ginny had half of her essay for Snape done but had lost focus on what to write, Her mind had decided to travel out of the common room and, instead, focus on what Harry was doing; or, at least, what she thought he was doing. After all, she was his girlfriend and he was her boyfriend even if they couldn't announce it.

Ron and Hermione were in the room as well, going over their revisions for the O.W.L. exam on Monday. Hermione had Ancient Runes tomorrow but she decided to work with Ron on his for their potions exam. "Why are you still here again?" Ron asked her from across the room for the seventh time that evening.

"For the last time, Ron, he asked me to because he wasn't sure if you two would be back in time or what time he would be back at." Ginny replied as she wrote another line for Snape. "Besides, I want to hear what Snuffles said."

Ron nodded his head as he laid his notes down. "It's just, well, we're here now so you could head off."

"Ronald!" Hermione scolded him. "That's not a nice thing to say. You will make her feel like she isn't wanted around us anymore." She also had put aside her notes for the moment. "Besides, Harry was in such a good mood this morning over breakfast, I don't want to ruin it by dragging him into a fight with any one of us."

"I know that, but you saw how he was. The only time I have ever seen him like that was after he kissed Cho that first time. I know he hasn't gone anywhere near her since the whole DA thing." Ron told her as Ginny shook her head and put away all her supplies.

"Well," Ginny began, "Maybe he's started seeing someone better?" Ginny asked them.

Hermione must have caught something in that statement because her head spun so fast that Ginny thought it might have flown off if it wasn't attached. Her eyes searched Ginny's and then opened wide when Ginny gave a slight nod. "That could be." She said as she played along. "It wouldn't be surprising since I know quite a few girls who are interested in him."

Ron gave a snort. "Yeah, but how many of them do you think he is interested in?"

"Oh, I'd say at least one." Hermione said with a side long glance at Ginny.

Ginny was getting ready to respond, but was cut off as there was a flare of fire in the center of the common room. It was so loud and bright that she covered her ears with her hands and closed her eyes as she turned away. It lasted only for a short time before Ginny was able to open her ears and eyes and turn back to the source of the sound.

"Harry!" Ginny said loudly as she watched him fall into one of the arm chairs by the fire. He looked exhausted to her as she went over to his side with Hermione and Ron. "Harry?" She asked him.

It was enough to break him out of the trance he was in because he looked over at them and smiled. "Hey guys." He said softly.

Hermione returned his smile. "Hey, what did Snuffles want?" She asked him softly.

"Before I can say anything, what I say can not leave the room. Never. You have to promise me, okay?" All three quickly nodded their heads. "Hermione, this goes double for you. Dumbledore said that I should try and keep from telling you all everything because you would want to run off and research it. Understand?"

Hermione nodded her head again. "I promise, Harry, not to run off and try and research whatever you have to say."

Harry returned his look to the fire and all three of them could see he was trying to figure out his words. "I went down to see Snuffles. He and Moony were already there when I got there. Then, they handed me a portkey and we were taken back to the Headmaster's office. It turns out, Dumbledore has been here the whole time."

The four of them smiled. "That means, that Umbridge couldn't get into the office because…" Hermione started.

"…He was still in there and we never lost the Professor." Ron finished for her.

Harry nodded. "He told me that Snuffles had shared my letter with him and he was curious about my Occulmency training. So, he tried to get into my mind and there was a crack of electricity. Then…it got weird."

Harry took a deep breath before continuing. "I said something that I can't recall now. Something that made Dumbledore think. He went and tried to pull one of my memories out but, instead of it being a faint silver, it was bright gold. He put it in the Penseive and, together, we viewed it."

"However, we came out in this misty room of white. As I stood there, we heard a voice and walked towards it. It turns out that we were in the memory of my own head…and we were talking to an older me who came from the future."

All three of them were shocked but they stayed quiet to allow Harry to continue. "I guess several things happened at the tail end of the war that caused me to want to return back in time to change what I could. Sirus, Dumbledore, Remus and Fred all die and then, latter, Gi…I mean my wife dies. That was the crowning moment that it took me to return and try to change things,"

Harry met Ginny's eyes with his own to let her know exactly what he meant. She felt the gaze and figured out that she was his wife she was talking about and she was the one who dies. Her heart jumped several times, mostly because of knowing that she died, but there was this tiny part of her that was rejoicing that they, eventually, got married.

Ron nodded. "That's why you felt like t was more then a dream last night, like you were seeing things. Because what you saw were your own memories, right?"

"Exactly. It's also why I felt like I had done all this before, because I had." Harry told them.

Hermione pressed her lips together "So, what did you learn from your self? Any secrets to destroying…him?"

Harry grinned. "Yes, and lots. Apparently, Voldemort created several Horcrux. I didn't know what it was but Dumbledore explained that it was an object in which he put a little bit of his own soul into. Until we destroy all of them, we can't actually kill him and he can not die."

Ron sat back in his chair. "So, we find these things, destroy them, and then everything goes back to normal?" Harry nodded. "Well, do you know where they are?"

Harry caught Ginny's eye with his own. "In fact, I've already destroyed one. In the Chamber of Secrets"

Ginny's eyes went wide as she covered her mouth with her hand in surprise. "Wait… I was writing to Voldemort's soul?" Harry nodded as Ginny went white in the face and fell quiet.

Ron looked between the two before clearing his throat. "What about the others? Do you know where they are?"

Harry nodded. "One is in the Lestrange vault at Gringotts, another at someplace called the Gaunt Cottage, the third is in Grimmauld Place and there is another in the Room of Requirement." All three of them gasped but Hermione was counting on her fingers and only held up five fingers. Harry nodded his head. "There are two more. His snake, the one that attacked your dad this Christmas, is one of them and he always has it at his side. I'm not sure how we can destroy it. The last one…your not going to like hearing it at all."

Ron smiled at him while both Ginny and Hermione looked nervous. "Well, why not? Where else could he hide part of himself?" Hermione asked him.

Harry shook his head. "Promise me, nothing changes, at all?" He asked the three of them before answering the question.

"Why would anything change?" Ron asked him. Hermione and Ginny both smiled at him.

"Okay." Harry took a deep breath before looking around the abandoned common room. "I found out why I have this connection to Voldemort, why I am a Parslemouth and why I can see what he see sometimes." He took another deep breath. "I'm the last horcrux."

The silence in the room was deafening before Ginny and Hermione both got up and hugged him tightly. "Oh! Harry! What does this mean?" Hermione asked him after she pulled away.

Harry held up a hand as he looked to Ron. He was just staring at the space around Harry but not really seeing him. "Ron? You okay?"

Ron shook his head as if clearing cobwebs. "You mean…you have part of him in you?" Harry nodded. "So what's stopping him from taking over you like he did to Ginny?"

Ginny looked ready to hex him and Hermione ready to yell at him before Harry intervened. "I understand what you are saying, mate, I really do. The reason he can't take me over is that I have a secret weapon against him." Ron looked up at him and saw the large grin on his face. "When I came back in time, not only did I bring information but I, he, cast some strong mental charms that block even Dumbledore from getting in. He did this because that is exactly how Sirus died."

Everyone went quiet as they pondered the information. Ron was the first one to break it with a snort. "We always knew it wasn't going to be easy. The question is now…what are we going to do?"

Harry just shrugged. "I plan on passing my O.W.L. exams first…after that we can worry about getting that toad out of here and then deal with Voldemort."

Ron nodded as he stood. "Well, if you guys don't mind, I think I am going to head on up to bed. We'll talk tomorrow? Right?"

Everyone nodded as he made his way up to bed. The second he rounded the corner to head on up, Hermione turned to Harry and Ginny and let out a huge grin. "So…anything you want to share with me?" She said with a very knowing, very unlike Hermione, grin..

Harry looked left at Ginny and grasped her hand. "I guess you told her?" He asked the beautiful red head.

Ginny giggled and shook her head. "No, but you just did."

"She obviously knew before I got here or she wouldn't have asked."

Hermione smiled at him. "She also is sitting right in front of you." Both blushed as they returned their attention to Hermione. "Now, when, where and how did you two finally get together?"

Harry just smiled as he held out his arms and Ginny curled up underneath them. "When I went up to send off Pig with the letter, I ran into Ginny sending one off to Fred and George. We talked for a bit and then…well, I kissed her."

Ginny nodded. "We were going to keep it hidden from everyone for some time, since Harry had O.W.L. exams and we really just wanted to keep Ron from pulling a Malfoy and attacking Harry." Ginny smiled as she cuddled closer to Harry. "Now, tell me everything you cut out."

Harry blushed. "I'm not sure you want to hear this, Gin."

"I asked and I'm sure Hermione picked up on it too."

Hermione nodded her head and Harry just gave a deep sigh. "Well, in the future that he came back from, we were married." Harry sat up and closed his eyes as he watched a scene from that time flow across his mind.

"We were married at Godric's Hollow in a small church. It was small, smaller then Bill and Fleur's. Ron was best man and Hermione was maid of honor. After the ceremony, we went to the Burrow where your mum hosted the reception." Harry's mind was pulled forward as he was now in St. Mungo's and watched as Ginny held a small bundle wrapped in blue. Harry just smiled as he kept that to himself.

Suddenly, Harry was watching a house, his house, go up in flames. A mangy man was grinning down on him as he heard his own voice scream for Ginny and Jamie. Harry returned to the room at that moment and collapsed his head into his hands and wept quietly.

Hermione and Ginny exchanged looks before Ginny reached over to comfort him. "Harry, you need to tell us what happened. We only know what you tell us." She whispered to him, softly.

Hermione nodded as she reached a hand out and patted him on the knee. "Harry, is it Ginny?" He nodded, words failing him. "Did he watch her die?" She asked again, softly, and again Harry nodded weakly. Ginny let out a little gulp of surprise but didn't withdraw from her comforting hug. "I understand, Harry."

Hermione then turned to Ginny and gave her a soft smile and a nod before walking away and up to her dorm for the night, leaving the young couple together. They remained silent for a long time before Ginny knelt in front of Harry. "I want to know. Please?"

Harry just shook his head. "Ginny, please, I really don't want to see it again and it's bad. Real bad."

Ginny just shook her head. "Tell me then. You already said that your older self changed things by coming back. Maybe this is changed as well."

Harry remained quiet as he stared into her chocolate brown eyes. They stayed that way for a brief amount of time before Harry nodded and returned his gaze on his hands. "It was a few years after the end of the war. He was tracking down the last member of Tom's inner circle. He had gotten hit by a stunning spell and awoke facing the house and watched as it went up in flames. You and the baby were still inside." He trailed off as he continued to wring his hands and await her response.

Her response was a surprise as she just moved so she sat in his lap and relaxed as he cried into her hair. She never said anything, just a comforting presence as he released the emotions that his older self must have bottled up.

It took several minutes before Harry stopped his crying and took several moments before coming back to her. "I'm sorry, Ginny."

She just raised a finger to his lips before just kissing his forehead. "Don't you ever apologize to me about needing to cry. With what you just saw, I would be surprised if you didn't feel like this. It just tells me how much you care." She placed her hands on either side of his face so that their gaze met. "Harry, I love you, I always have. Nothing is going to make me feel any different. What you just showed me as you told me makes me think that you, at least your older self, feels the same. I am not going anywhere, even if you tell me to."

Harry let out a small chuckle. "Well, I guess that means I'm stuck with you."

"Damn right you are." They laughed together before Ginny just sighed and dipped herself further into his arms. "You should get some sleep." She told him as he closed his eyes. "You've had a lot of information to process through in the past few hours."

Harry nodded but made no motion that he wanted to get up. "Ginny, I never want to leave you, but there might come a time…"

"Don't you finish that." Ginny cut him off. "You will never, ever, think that. I love you and now I know you feel the same. If anyone tries to separate us, even Dumbledore or Voldemort or even my mum, I will give them the fight of their lives." She grinned at him then and kissed his forehead one last time. "I'm going to head up to bed. You might want to work out what you are going to tell Ron."

Harry looked up at her in surprise. "Why is that?"

"Because I am not going to hide this any longer." She told him as she gave him a kiss on the lips before strutting away.

Harry just smiled at her retreating back before taking her cue and heading to bed himself.

* * *

Harry was sitting in one of the plush arm chairs again, this time facing his elder self alone. "She really didn't like it when I told her we were done after Dumbledore died." His elder self said as he grinned at him. "Broke her heart and she still had enough sense to understand as well as forgive me right after the final battle."

Harry smiled at him. "How did we, I mean you, end up with her last time?" He asked elder Harry.

"The next year, I was made Quidditch Captain. I highly doubt that will change so congrats ahead of time, by the way. I had detention with Snape the day of the final match and Ginny had to fill in for me as both Captain and as Seeker. After the match, I rushed to the common room to find out the result and found out we won and won the cup. Suddenly, there she was, rushing towards me with that look of hunger Ron gets when food is announced. We met in the middle of the common room and shared our first kiss. Ron wasn't happy with it but he just kind of shrugged and let us be that day. Dean was furious."

Harry smiled. "Why was Dean mad?"

Elder Harry gave him a cheeky grin. "Why, Dean and Ginny…oh, that's right. They won't be getting together now that you two are. At the end of the year, they started dating. They dated over the summer and all the way until about three quarters of the way through the term."

Harry nodded. "And Jamie?" He asked him.

A sad smile lit up the elder's face. "James Sirus Potter." was all he said as he let a tear fall down his face. "He was born just weeks before…"

Harry shifted uncomfortably. "I'm sorry." Was all he could say to his elder self."

He just shook his head and smiled. "Enough, if things work out, James will be born to you two. Same child and everything. We just need to make sure we get you to there."

"How are we going to do that?" He asked.

Elder Harry just smiled at him. "You think I sent my soul this far back in time just to warn you and Albus about the future? No, my dear, dear boy. I am here to help you." He sat back in his chair and waved his hand. Suddenly, the mist cleared the room and Harry found himself staring at all types of things. There was a wall of weapons, one of books of every shape and size and one of nothing but weights. "Harry, we are you going to turn you into the worst nightmare for Tom Riddle. He won't have any idea what to do with you."

Harry got up from his chair and wandered over to the weight stacks. "Okay, I understand teaching me spells and combat techniques in my own head but why the weights? That won't have any effect on my body if we are doing it in my head."

Elder Harry just chuckled. "The mind is a wonderfully complex tool, Harry. If your mind believes it enough, the body will comply with it. Trust me on this. And we aren't going to turn you into a freak with massive arms, just going to trim you up and tone you down. Nothing serious, just enough for you to pack a serious punch should you hit someone or able to run longer and faster. Tonight, however, is going to be about education."

Harry groaned. "I have O.W.L. exams this week and next. Surely we can do this some other time. I'm going to be exhausted."

His older self just grinned as he brought down a large book. "Don't worry, you will wake up every night like you had slept soundly. And besides, we are only going to do this twice a week. Tuesdays and Thursdays to be more precise. Wouldn't want those dreams of pretty little red heads to not come to you."

They both shared a laugh as they worked on potions, since Harry's exam on Monday would be on that subject it made sense to teach him what the elder Harry had learned. After potions came some light spell work followed by some combat training with a knife.

After a long time, the elder Harry raised his hand. "I think that is enough for now. You are proving quite the learner."

Harry just shrugged as he fell back into his plush arm chair. "Well, I have one last question for you then before this night is over."

"Ask away my young self."

Harry smiled before he sat up and put on a serious face. "How do I get rid of this piece of Tom inside of me? There has to be a way."

His elder self reached up and pulled down a book. It's spine was black and twisted as he flipped it open. He brought it over and set it on the table that appeared between them so his younger self could read. "There is only two ways I can think of. The first is not fun at all. It requires that you be hit by a killing curse cast by Tom and in a way that you do not defend yourself. That is the key. It is another act of sacrifice against him that protects everyone from him, not just a single person like mum and us. If that is the case, make it count, Harry. Make sure you take that snake faced, pointy tooth bastard down."

Harry nodded before looking up from the book. "What is this?" He said pointing at the book.

"Everything I know about Tom." He said as he flipped the page. "The other way that I mentioned is a double edged sword of some sorts. I head about this but never saw it in person, just in a few old books I found while researching how to get back in time. It is called a soul bond."

Harry looked confused. "What is a soul bond, exactly?"

Elder Harry got up with the dark book and replaced it on the shelf. "It's just like it sounds. It will take your soul, not the part of his that is connected to yours, and bond with another's. The few cases I have heard about this, the bonded are lovers and this is a complete accident. It might, might being the key word here, work and instead of being joined to Tom you would then be joined to this other person. Tom's soul would be cast out and destroyed while the other soul joins with yours. The downside is that there is no way to break the bond, you begin to sense the other partners thoughts and dreams enough that it will be like you are speaking out loud and, worse comes to worse, if one dies, well…it's not good for the living side."

Harry sat back in his chair. "So, either Tom Riddle himself needs to cast a killing curse at me and I need to let it hit me without defending myself…" He trailed off to see his elder self nodding at this, "or I need to link my soul to someone else."

"That's the idea. Truth be told, I would stick with the former option. It might be a pain but it sure is hell worth it to see his face when you stand back up after he hit you with the killing curse for the second time." Elder Harry then looked down at his watch. "Well, Harry, it's time. Good luck with Ron today." He said as he disappeared into the far reaches of Harry's mind.

Harry snorted. "Yeah, I'm going to need it, I think." He whispered as he felt himself lift up into the air.

**A/N: Sorry this took so long to get out. I had finals week, family death, holidays and now I am back. I gave you all a extra long chapter as a sorry and as a late Christmas gift.**

**Now that we got this chapter out of the way, I can move on to action scenes, which I have never really written before so I am really hopeful that they turn out well. I will get started on those probably tomorrow.**

**Old Poll closed. No new poll at the moment.**

**Harry and Ginny WILL NOT be getting soul bonded in this story, just throwing that out there. I love soul bond stories, I really do, but it's just not my bag. I want the "Death of Harry Potter" scene because I have some great ideas for it.**

**Thanks again for the patience, everyone. Enjoy and review.**

**P.S. Little hint, the more reviews I get the fast I write as long as I am not busy with other things like this past month.**


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